The Vow
by Leanne90
Summary: 1865 AU: Two feuding families to unite under one arranged marriage but what happens when the Gilbert daughter meets the "other" Salvatore son? Will Elena keep her vow? Or will Damon lure her into his arms?
1. The Arrangement

**A/N: This is an AU idea I've had in my head for quite some time now and I couldn't wait any longer to write it. It's a Romeo and Juliet meets Lady and the Tramp version of Delena set in 1865. I hope you like it!**

**Special thanks to **_**BadBoysAreBest**_** and **_**notenoughpotter**_** for putting up with my insecurities and looking over this for me.**

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><p>Thump, thump, thump. Elena swallowed thickly as she heard the hum of her heartbeat thud beneath her chest. She sat, placing her hands firmly under her small bottom as to not fiddle with the delicate skin of her fingers, a habit she had indulged in since a child and one that her father hated. "Grubby hands" his voice echoed in her head, the harsh tone of it reminding her of her many telling offs. She shifted atop the soft, velvety upholstery of her bed bench, feeling as though she would suffocate from the tightness of her corset, the many layers of her undergarments and dress heating her in the warm summer's air. She had been told to retire to her chambers and await her father's return, he would bring grand news and good fortune, she had been promised. But, Elena couldn't help but feel nervous.<p>

Her ears perked as she heard the hinges of the grand gates open and the clip clop sound of the horse's hoofs along the cobbled path to the Gilbert mansion. Her father was home, this was it, the announcement she had been waiting for. She inclined her head to the side as she heard her father bundle through the front door, greeting her adoring mother with a faithful kiss before singing to himself merrily as he made his way to her chambers. Elena stood instantly as the door opened and her father sauntered cheerfully into her room. She welcomed him with a smile, her eyes lighting up at his happy persona, the nerves that had riddled her previously, diminishing.

"Father, to what do I owe the pleasure of your joyous self?"

"Our troubles are over my dear, Elena."

"Our troubles?" Elena inquired, smoothing her hands down the lavish material of her skirt.

"Yes child. The feud is no more." Master Gilbert was a man of great prosperity and his family had lived as Kings and Queens of Mystic Falls, unchallenged for many generations. A dispute had erupted when the Salvatore family, Italian shipping tycoons, had settled in what Master Gilbert referred to as _his_ kingdom. He hated having his riches rivalled by a family of similar dignity and affluence and his resentment of this had enthralled the land with bitterness, slander and violence.

"That's wonderful, father. You're so skilled and talented to bring about an end to our suffering." She smiled in approval, having never liked her father's unnecessary obsession with the Salvatore family.

"No my sweet, Elena, you are the answer. You are the one that will end this family's suffering for generations to come."

"Oh!" Elena appeared visibly shocked, her voice capturing an intrigued air. "Please explain, Father."

"You will marry the Salvatore boy. Two grand kingdoms, joined as one in an arranged marriage of fortunes and well being." Her father beamed and cupped her face, planting a tender kiss on her forehead.

Elena had never met the Salvatore son but she had heard gossip among the town's people, a girl who Stefan had courted but who was later considered unworthy by Giuseppe, had boasted that he was irresistibly gorgeous and wonderfully attentive.

"But, Father" Elena desperately tried to interject.

"No buts. Four Saturdays from now, when the sun is at its highest in the sky our families will join in matrimony and end this feud, forever. "

"Please" Elena ran to her father, her voice dripping with desperation as she pleaded with him to reconsider. "I've never had the pleasure of meeting him at least bless me with this."

"Stefan is a charming boy, my sweet. I would only have the best for you and he is the best."

"If you only want the best for me then you will not have me marry someone I've never even set eyes upon. It would be improper to stand before God and vow my love to a man I do not know and who I do not love."

Elena desperately tugged on the cuff of her father's sleeves only to be administered a short, sharp slap across the face. She had become accustomed to his rages and brutal assaults, his hand raised to her on more occasions than she wished to remember, but the sting of his vicious outbursts never failed to surprise her. Elena was many things, but submissive she was not, something which her father hated and took it upon himself to beat it out of her. She stumbled back, her cheek instantly reddening with a powdered blush, tears pricking in her chocolate orbs. Her father may have been a man of business and deals but she never thought he would exchange_ her_, in the terms of one.

"You will be seen and not heard, Elena. Do I make myself clear?I did not raise you to disobey me." John shouted furiously in her face. "You will marry him and you will be grateful that I have bestowed upon you a fitting husband. Now smile and thank your loving father." He calmed slightly as the last words rolled from his lips, his hand smoothing over her flushed, sore cheek.

"Yes Father. Thank you" she bowed her head as soon as she finished her sentence. Allowing the tears to fall from her eyes and flow fluidly down her rosy cheeks.

"Master Gilbert, your bath is drawn." One of the many servants interrupted, beckoning her father away and Elena was thankful to be left alone to wallow in her misfortune. How could this happen to her? She was as close to royalty as they came and she was being traded off as if she were a servant, or worse, a pauper.

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><p>Elena sat in the small booth, her chest heaving and tight as she begged air to flood her lungs and give her the strength to speak. Her heart hummed loudly beneath her supple breast and she could feel the eyes of God burning into her, judging her.<p>

"Forgive me Father for I have sinned, it's been a month since my last confession." Elena sobbed in the confessional, taking comfort in the screen that separated her and the priest.

"Go on." Father Saltzman prompted the words from Elena's lips.

"I dishonoured my parents. My father gifted me with a wonderful suitor and I questioned his judgement." Elena bowed her head in shame. She had always been independent and her behaviour had sometimes been frowned upon but she should have known better than to defy her father's words.

"Why did you question him, my child?"

"I do not love my suitor and I do not want to marry a man who I do not love." Elena swept the tears from under her eyes before placing her hands in her lap, beginning to pick at the sensitive skin of her fingers.

"Could you not grow to love him?"

"I do not know him, Father Saltzman."

"You would fare well to get to know him, my dear, for it is your father who holds the final decision. I wish it was different but it is not. May God be with you in your plight and may you grow to love this man who you will soon call your husband."

The heavens had spoken and all Elena could do, was accept her fate and marry Stefan. She would be happy to pull her family from eternal misery and rivalry, even if it meant a life of sadness for her, and like Father Saltzman had encouraged, Stefan would court her and she could grow to love him. The thoughts collided around her mind as she rode in her carriage back to the mansion, desperately trying to reassure herself that her father had bestowed her with a gift, not a plague. What high society girl wouldn't want to marry a man classed as a prince? She sighed and resigned herself to her fateas she sank back into the velvet upholstery of the carriage and closed her eyes to block out the cruelness of the world.

"Miss Gilbert?" Her fair maid roused Elena from her slumber as the mansion came into view. She gulped at the idea of returning to the confines of her chambers, or prison, as she now thought of it, a place to lock her away until she could be carted off to begin her new life, with Stefan. His name made her skin crawl slightly and she already resented him for taking away her freedom.

With elegance, Elena exited the carriage and snuck back into the mansion, bringing her finger to her lips and hushing her fair maid into a silent promise to never speak of her outing to confessional. Reluctant and heavy lidded she retired to her chambers, taking comfort in the soft, silken feel of the luxurious sheets against her olive skin, only for her mind to betray her once again, mulling over her future. Soon she would be married; the thought caused tears to sting in her sullen eyes. Viciously taken from her family as a sacrifice or bargaining chip in the evil terms of the devils deal and given to a man she had never met before.

Morning would come and with it, preparations for her new life, she shook her head and wished it away, tears staining the soft, cream bedding, the speed of it all making her sick with nerves. If only she could wander into the night with a dark prince and never return.

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><p><strong>AN: I'd just like to remind you all that this IS a DELENA story, please, please, please be patient; I just need a little time to get there.**

**What did you think? If you want this story to continue please be good and review, any feedback, good or bad, helps!**


	2. Cold As Ice

**A/N: Thank you for all the reviews, alerts and favourites of this story, I'm really pleased the first chapter was liked and I hope this one is just as good. Sorry for the delay, I had to write two other things before I could start on this chapter and then I was sick so it delayed me further. I do aim to update weekly if I can.**

**A big thank you to _notenoughpotter_ and _BadBoysAreBest _for their help, this would probably suck without them.**

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><p>"This way, my dear." Mrs Lockwood led Elena into the back of the fabric store.<p>

Elena stood hesitantly, her eyes darting over the collection of fine dresses until they settled on a princess-cut gown sitting perfectly on a mannequin. She gulped and shot Mrs Lockwood a fleeting glance for confirmation, her chest suddenly feeling tight as the nod verified that the gown was indeed meant for Elena. She couldn't help but think this was her father's doing. He had always fully indulged every opportunity to flash their family's riches and why would his honourable daughter's debut be any different? Master Gilbert was a man of pride. For generations, Gilberts had been plantation owners and none were shy of wealth, but Elena's father had thought him superior and had gambled the family fortune on a private investment in the Pennsylvania Railroad Company and struck gold. They now lived a life of luxury as silent investors, although her father was anything but silent about their prosperity. The thought revolved around Elena's mind as her eyes began to wander over the gown.

Its beauty was startling, ivory gold in expensive silk, sections of embroidery and lace, sleeves that would sit just off the shoulder and a ribbon to synch in the waist. She suddenly felt like a piece of meat, knowing that the vultures of Mystic Falls would be feasting on her, all eyes of society gawking at the exquisiteness of the gown, just like her father wanted. Their riches would never be doubted again and Elena felt like she was being used as a mannequin to showcase it.

She swallowed thickly, desperately trying to budge the lump rapidly forming at the back of her throat. She felt as though she couldn't breathe, like someone had taken the piece of ribbon and was choking her. Elena desperately clawed at her throat, trying to loosen the imaginary hold, feeling her heart beginning to thump rhythmically beneath her breast as the strangulating grip only seemed to tighten. Each breath she took suddenly felt like it would be her last, like an evil puppeteer was pulling on the stings of her corset to drain the air from her lungs. Her palms became sweaty and her cheeks began to radiate heat as a light blush coloured her soft skin and the walls closed in around her.

Suddenly she was alone, just her and the dress. She had to admit it was a divine dress but she scowled it like it was the enemy. This was the dress she would meet Stefan in, the dress that would betray her as it told society that she was a lady and would present them as a couple. Tears began to sting in her eyes and she found it difficult to maintain her gaze on the soft silk. She didn't want this, she wanted to meet someone and fall in love with them. What was life without love? The thought revolved endlessly around her mind and tormented her. She would never experience love. Die as a virgin, in the emotional sense. Her mind quickly flitted over the physical sense and she felt her heart flutter with dread, her skin crawling with the idea of giving herself to someone she despised.

"Elena? Elena?" Mrs Lockwood's voice quickly roused her from her thoughts and she stared at her solemnly from the prison behind her eyes.

"It was imported all the way from Paris." She beamed. "You will be the belle of the ball, my dear."

"Forgive me, Mrs Lockwood, but I just need a moment of fresh air. I am overwhelmed by its beauty." Elena lied and forced a smile.

"Of course, my dear, but do be quick, we need to fit you for the dress." She smiled.

Mrs Lockwood had known Elena since she was small and had always treated her with kindness and consideration. To a stranger she would appear a gentle woman of class but Elena knew better. She knew Mrs Lockwood was a woman of wealth; materialistic and judgemental. She knew that the only reason Mrs Lockwood acted so kindly was because she saw dollar signs. Another one of her father's bribes, Elena thought as she turned towards her fair maid, he had the whole town bought off, sold under the spell of their family's affluence.

"No need to accompany me, Bonnie, I'll just be outside." Elena addressed her fair maid and quickly made her way through the fabric store. Her heart began to pump profoundly and she was overwhelmed with an onslaught of tears. She burst through the entrance of the store, panting in an attempt to flood her burning lungs with much needed oxygen. Tears erupted from her eyes and streamed down her rosy cheeks, a whirlwind of emotions coursing through her veins. Anxiety, anticipation, dread, disappointment, desperation, honour and finally, relief as the burn faded and she felt a distance between her and the suffocating gown.

Elena peered through the shop window and saw Mrs Lockwood busy with her tape measure as Bonnie relayed Elena's measurements. Her mind began to wander as her eyes burned into the dress that would change her life. Ever since she was a child, Elena had longed to become a novelist. It was frowned upon for her to have such wild aspirations; women were seen as no more than a trophy on the arm of a wealthy man and later a child bearer and home maker. But Elena could not deny that she had bigger dreams, she yearned for the day when her name would be etched on the leather spine of a book and her words would trace its pages, just like her uncle John Gilbert. Many thought him mad, but Elena saw his magnificence and idolised him, hoping to one day walk in his shoes. Her cruel father had whipped her into playing the role of the dutiful daughter, forcing her to give up on those dreams, but this marriage was a sacrifice she was unwilling to make. She could run, right now, and escape this eternal prison. Surprising even herself, she found herself walking away from the store. The more she thought about the idea, the more appealing it sounded and her feet began to pick up the pace as relief washed over her, the distance instantly soothing her worried mind. It would be the answer to all of her problems. She would miss her family dearly but how could she spend a lifetime with a man she did not love, away from her family and alone in every sense of the word? If she ran she would be alone but at least she would have her sanity, her dignity, her pride and her dreams.

Suddenly she felt a cold hand snake around her wrist and yank her. Her breath hitched in her dry throat preventing a scream from escaping her lips as she was pulled into a dark alley. The space was narrow and frightening and she gasped as her back slapped against the cold brick sending an icy chill down her spine. From the shadows she felt someone push against her, goose bumps instantly prickling over her skin as his arctic form pressed against her human warmth. She felt shrouded in darkness, constricted in every sense of the word, but not alone.

"Why must you always run from me, Miss Katherine?" A dark delicious voice floated into her ears and she slowly opened her eyes to put a face to the mystery voice.

Elena swallowed thickly as her eyes feasted on him. Piercing blue eyes that burned with an intensity that made her feel as though she would melt on the spot. Porcelain skin like a rare and beautiful china doll, cold to touch but inviting nonetheless. Ruby lips, puckered and ripe for a taste. She found herself staring at them, wanting to tempt words from them just to see them move. Raven curly locks swept over his brow and enticed her fingers. She had never thought of a man as beautiful but that's what he was, beautiful, there were no other words to describe him and he encompassed the word fully. She attempted to speak but found herself mute, his other worldly appearance stunning her into silence as his mesmerizing gaze burned to the bone_._

"Do you not miss me?" He asked in a tone as if he knew her and she begged to correct him but his eyes kept her silent.

"We are meant for one another." His fingers lightly brushed over her cheek and Elena's mind began to race. It was the first time a man had ever touched her with affection and if her father saw her she would be disowned for dishonouring the family. His touch was a violent delight, sinful but addictive. Elena gulped, shaking slightly as his caress left her with a searing heat that tainted her cheeks a dusky rose. She thought it wildly inappropriate, but wild it was, in every sense of the word, and she liked it, craved it and wanted him to touch her again.

"Do you not miss the rush?" He stared into her chocolate orbs and they glowed for him, her body buzzing with electricity.

"Do you not miss the heat of tainted crimson lips?"His finger laced over her plump, ruby lips and she felt her body hum for him, her blood feeling as though it were vibrating and travelling south.

Elena was practically a quivering mess. She had never experienced such a whirlwind of sensations and emotions or felt an undying pull toward someone. He was wondrous, mysterious and intrigued her to her very core but she couldn't help but fight against it. She was a dutiful daughter and here she was tainting her virginal form with the sinful caress of a dark prince. "I...I should.." Her mind desperately tried to prompt the words from her lips but he rendered her speechless.

"Do you not miss the dwindling hum of a heartbeat?" Elena felt her heart begin to pound as his finger trailed down her lips, along the sensitive skin of her neck to dance high above her supple breast.

Her eyes searched his as a frown crinkled on his forehead, confusion flickering in his gaze. She watched as he stepped back, unable to find words to express himself, his lips quivering with anger, sadness and betrayal. She desperately wanted to ask him what was wrong, feeling her body grow cold without his touch. It was thrilling and she wanted to plead with him to return his hands to her, they were icy but sparked a heat she had never felt before.

"Elena?" She quickly snapped her head to the side as the sound of her name echoed down the alley, rousing her from a trance induced by him.

"I must go." She spoke with urgency and ran from him, the buzzing feeling he had awoken in her continuing to course her veins as she fled the darkness and returned to the light.

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><p><strong>AN: I hope you all enjoyed! If you would like this story to continue please be good and review :)**


	3. Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered

**I think I thanked everyone for their reviews but if I happen to miss you then I'm sorry and thank you :) We get to see a bit more of Damon this chapter, find out some of what's going on in that gorgeous head of his and I'll tell you a little bit more about him! I hope you enjoy.**

**Thanks to **_**notenoughpotter **_**for ironing out my mistakes!**

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><p>"You are not supposed to be here, Damon" A familiar voice floated in the brisk morning air but only seemed to bounce off of Damon's tormented shell.<p>

Damon stood, motionless, his cerulean eyes burning into the sacred steps, steps that would lead him to the doors of heaven but he was forbidden to enter, cast down to the depths of hell for all eternity. Katherine was his executioner; it was she who had led him to this fiery prison and after his spontaneous meeting with her in the alley a few days prior he was left utterly confused.

He replayed their reunion over in his mind and suddenly found himself bursting with rage. His nostrils flared and his icy lips pursed in bitterness. He had sacrificed everything for her, the air in his lungs, the soft hum of his heart, the warmth of his skin and the blush of his cheeks, he had killed in her name but it was all for nothing.

Once transitioned, Katherine had rejected him, forbid him from seeing her and carved out the life she so desperately craved. He had felt betrayed, a fool for love, blinded to see that he was a mere pawn in her sadistic game. He had willingly played along, desperately trying to tempt her back into his arms and remove the veil that society so strictly cast over its women. He yearned for them to be together so they could roam freely as predators of the night. But now, for the first time in the year since he had turned, he saw clearly. She was a liar and an expert manipulator. She was gone, lost in a world that had rejected him.

Damon swallowed thickly, his veins bubbling with a whirlwind of emotions. His eyes studied the solid oak door and he prayed for the courage to enter. He was hesitant, reluctant to move, feeling the eyes of God burning into him, judging him for foolishly choosing the wrong path, something he would have to live with for eternity.

"Damon." The familiar voice repeated and finally broke through to his thoughts. He felt a hand grasp his shoulder and he quickly spun to meet his assailant. The blue tinge of his eyes tainted a blackish red and crimson veins webbed down his cheeks as his razor sharp ivories pierced his gums. A hiss reverberated from deep in his throat as his hand snaked torturously tight around the neck of the stranger.

"Ric!" Damon's voice elevated in surprise and his vampiric features faded as he released Alaric from his deathly clutches.

Alaric clawed as his throat trying to ease the burn created from Damon's vice like grip.

"Father Saltzman to you." Alaric adjusted his collar and rolled his eyes. "What are you doing here, Damon?"

Damon and Alaric had been friends for a few years, the one good thing to come out of his father's meddling. Giuseppe had sought help from Alaric, urging him to befriend Damon and keep him on a righteous path so that he could later groom him to take over the family business. At first they had hated each other. Damon did not see the value of religion after the things he had witnessed on the battlefield and he despised his father for forever thinking him unworthy and constantly trying to force him onto a path he did not wish to take. Similarly, Alaric, although a man of God, hated Damon. He was reluctant to give his time to a man he thought improper, troublesome and disrespectful. But, as fate would have it, opposites attracted and after many forced meetings an unexpected friendship developed, Damon sparking some fun in Alaric's strict routine and vice versa. Their bond had been slightly strained since Damon's transition but Alaric took his vow seriously and had worked hard to "love thy enemy" believing he could help Damon overcome the evil and darkness.

"Can a man not seek refuge at his church? Or ask advice from his priest?" Damon arched a brow, a smirk curling onto his smug lips.

"Of course, but you are not a man, Damon, you are a vampire."

"I see you have not lost your sense of humour, dear friend." Damon rotated his ring around his slender finger.

"I see you are still paranoid." Alaric shot back, his features contorting somewhat as he glanced at Damon's reaction.

"She lied to me, Ric." Damon bowed his head and scuffed his shoe in the dirt.

"Who do you speak of, Damon?" Alaric appeared slightly puzzled.

"Katherine. By chance I saw her roaming in the town's square and cornered her in an alley. I saw her web of lies unfold before my very eyes." Damon sighed and reminisced over their brief encounter. Her heart was beating true and it reminded him of how much he missed the pounding in his own chest. Her skin was warm like the sun and he longed to soak in the rays. But, he felt nothing; she took everything from him and loved to hate her for it.

"I warned you of your courting her, you chose poorly and this is the consequence, my dear friend."

"She betrayed me. Damn it, she bewitched my mind. She made me sacrifice my life, and that's all you have to say?" Dark red veins began to cascade under Damon's eyes. He was young in vampire years and had yet to possess a hold on his intense emotions, a consequence of vampirism that he much hated.

"Must you sully your words in my presence?" Alaric pursed his lips, angered at Damon's utter disrespect for his divine status.

Alaric had always prevented Damon from meeting him on holy ground, instead gathering with him in secret at the edge of the woods, where the town's boundary ended. Damon was unpredictable, emotional and more importantly, a vampire and Alaric risked being ousted from his position if seen in the company of what the church ruled as despicable evil.  
>He knew he needed to defuse the situation quickly and avoid attracting attention or worse, be on the receiving end of Damon's bite.<p>

"Come inside, we will talk about this." Alaric quickly took Damon's hand and led him into the confines of the church.

"I should not be in here, Ric." Damon stumbled inside and gulped as his eyes widened at the interior, his body feeling as though it was burning.

"No, you should not, but I refuse to leave you to commit sins. You are better than this, my friend. Face the problem, obtain answers and move on with your life." Alaric cupped Damon's icy cheeks and willed him to be the man he knew he could be.

His words of wisdom had an instant calming effect on Damon and he suddenly felt ready to meet with Katherine and get the closure he so desperately needed.

"Where would one find her?"

"Stefan is to marry..."

"I do not wish to know of my brother." Damon bitterly interrupted.

"Allow me to finish." Alaric reassured him.

"Stefan is to marry and your father is throwing a lavish ball in honour of their pending nuptials. I hear all of Mystic Falls' finest will be attending. If Katherine is delving into society, then that is where she will be."

"Then I shall go and force her conversation."

"Keep to the shadows, Damon. Remember what your father said." Alaric warned and bid his friend farewell.

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><p>The sun shone through the grand windows of Elena's chambers, breaking over the soft, delicate contours of her body. She lay on her plush bed, a heavenly smile adorned on her ruby lips as her mind wandered shamefully. Ever since her meeting with the mysterious man in the alley, she had not been able to think straight. Before, she had been nervous and filled with dread over her impending nuptials but now, her mind was clouded with images of him, the dark prince without a name. Her dainty fingers lightly traced her lips and she recalled his icy touch, her eyes fluttering in bliss as her body sparked and buzzed at the memory. She had never indulged in impure thoughts but she could not shake the idea of a kiss. She longed to taint her lips in sin and to have this hands roam over her body once more, to lock eyes with his cobalt hues and to feel his arctic form against her heated skin. He was hauntingly beautiful and that's exactly what his features did, haunt her, in the most thrilling way possible, and like an addict, she craved to rendezvous with him in the shadows once more.<p>

Suddenly, her corrupt thoughts were interrupted as Bonnie burst through the door, frantically grabbing Elena's robe from her bed bench.

"Quickly Miss, your father is here with your dress." Bonnie beckoned Elena from her bed and urgently dressed her in her robe, neatly tucking her chocolate locks behind her ears in an attempt to make her presentable for her father.

Elena swallowed thickly, and quickly smoothed her hands through her hair and over the material of her robe, desperately trying not to appear flustered. Her impure thoughts were suddenly replaced with ones of dread and anticipation, once again.

"Father!" Elena forced a smile as Master Gilbert entered her chambers, shortly followed by a number of maids who held up Elena's finished gown.

"Mrs Lockwood has done some exquisite work Elena; do be sure to thank her." Master Gilbert expertly eyed the dress before turning his attention to Elena, clearing his throat as though to prompt her to thank him, too.

"Thank you, Father. I will be prompt to pay my regards to Mrs Lockwood." Elena indulged him but cursed the dress and scowled him in her mind.

"As I have told you many times, my dear Elena, I only want the best for you."

The best for the family name, more like. The thought revolved around Elena's head and she bit her lip and plucked at the delicate skin of her fingers to prevent herself from saying anything. Bonnie glared at Elena, her eyes gesturing to the habit that Master Gilbert hated and Elena quickly put her hands behind her back, not wishing for him to administer an assault so close to a public event.

"You are so kind, Father. The dress is overwhelming." She bent the truth and forced another smile onto her plush lips.

"Bonnie will help you dress, my sweet and then the entire town awaits you."

"Forgive my naivety, but I do not understand what you mean, Father."

"The ball, Elena, the ball is tonight and all of Mystic Falls high society will be there to welcome you and Stefan.

"Tonight?" Elena's features contorted with grief, feeling as though she had not been given enough time to prepare herself.

"But, Father, I have not even met Stefan yet."

"And tonight you will, my dear, just as everyone else will meet you as a couple." He smiled and turned to leave.

"Oh, Bonnie, if she does not look perfect, I will have your head." Master Gilbert slid his finger across his neck in a cutting motion, gesturing to Bonnie that she would lose her position within their household if she did not meet his standards.

Elena waited until her father was out of earshot before bursting into tears. Her breath came out in pants as tears rolled fluidly down the velvety skin of her cheeks.

"Bonnie, what am I to do?" She cried, collapsing in a heap on the floor.

"Do not trouble yourself, Miss. Wait until we have you in your gown, you will look beautiful and all your worries will fade away. Stefan is charming; you will have a fine life with him." Bonnie smiled and urged Elena to get up so that she could dress her.

"You worked for the Salvatores, did you not?" Elena asked, sweeping away the tears that continued to fall.

"I did."

"Did you ever meet Stefan?"

"Yes, Miss Elena, I did."

"Tell me about him."

Bonnie rolled her eyes slightly and sat in a huff, knowing she had little time to perfect Elena's look for the grand ball.

"He is a fine young man, very well mannered, respectful and kind."

"Is he affectionate? Can I expect a marriage full of love and devotion?"

"That, I do not know, but I can assure you that you will never want for anything."

"I do not want for anything now." Elena looked down at her hands. "All I want is to marry a man that I love."

"I believe that if you want something strongly enough, then you will get it." Bonnie smiled and held out her hand to Elena. "We must dress you now."

"Thank you, Bonnie." Elena felt slightly calmer and stood so that Bonnie could prepare her.

"You are welcome, Miss Elena."

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><p>Damon skulked amongst the crowd gathered at the base of the grand staircase. He knew that staircase, he had descended it numerous times, but it had been a full year since he had stepped inside his former home. He now resided in the old slave quarters about a half a mile from the Salvatore residence; he was to the woods as the workers were to the slums of New York, an outlaw and a recluse. But, standing here now, Damon fit in like he had never left. A crisp white shirt accompanied by a black tailored blazer clung to him perfectly, matching black slacks and polished shoes finished the look. He was the picture of a Southern gentleman, despite his new form and dwellings, and the only thing separating him from the other Mystic Falls folk was his mesmerising looks and piercing blue orbs.<p>

Those eyes wandered his surroundings looking for the reason he had come here. Katherine. He needed answers, wanted to know why she had lured him into her deathly clutches, drained him of his life and cursed him with immortality only to then leave him to live out his existence alone. Why had she turned human? How had she turned human? Why did she not want him? The questions riddled his tormented mind and he clenched his fists, suddenly feeling betrayal and sadness ebb through his body, heating his blood with rage. How could she do this to him? His eyes grew a darker shade of blue and it took all the power he had to stop himself from ripping into the necks of the surrounding towns people.

The sound of a familiar voice suddenly roused him from his savage thoughts and he looked up to see where the sound was coming from, shuddering in disgust as he set eyes upon his father.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you for coming out tonight. I would like you to join me in welcoming my son and his fine lady onto the dance floor. I hope you enjoy your evening." Master Salvatore addressed the crowd of Mystic Falls finest and smiled as the audience clapped vigorously in response.

Elena jumped as she heard the announcement, her heart suddenly beginning to pound furiously beneath her breast. She glanced into the mirror, everything around her feeling alien. The room she stood in was foreign, the mirror she looked into, unfamiliar, she had never worn such a grand dress before and had never been about to descend a staircase that would change her life, forever. She swallowed thickly, desperately trying to budge the lump forming in the crevasse of her throat. She could feel herself beginning to pant and as she smoothed her hands over the lavish gown she felt it getting tighter, suffocating her, killing her.

"Miss Gilbert, we are ready for you now." A voice called from behind the door and Elena shook as she began to make her way over to it.

She lined the banister, her eyes locking momentarily with Stefan who stood waiting at the top of the opposite staircase. In just a few short steps, she would meet him for the first time and begin the rest of her life with him. Her gaze quickly left him and she peered through the gaps in the banister and down into the crowd, desperately seeking comfort in a familiar face.

Damon stared upon the grand staircase; waiting to get a quick glimpse of Stefan and his betrothed, his eyes occasionally shooting fleeting glances around the room for those all telling chocolate curls.

There she was, his eyes expertly picked her out in the crowd, standing next to Matthew Donovan. He grit his teeth as he eyed the woman who had changed his life, betrayed him and left him, alone, to rot in misery. His nostrils flared in anger and his blunt teeth sank into his plush bottom lip almost drawing blood.

Ever since she arrived in Mystic Falls, Katherine had tangled everyone she had come into contact with, in a web of lies and deceit. She was cunning and manipulative and Damon was but one of her many victims. She had a list as long as her arm of people she had lured under her spell, including Mater Gilbert. Katherine had used him and compelled her way into society, revelling in a life of luxury all the while Damon lived in the shadows.

He sighed heavily, his eyes narrowing with an evil glint. He quickly made his way through the crowd, he had to get to her, he needed those answers, needed closure. Just as he reached the front two rows his attention was quickly stolen.

"Presenting Mr Stefan Salvatore and Miss Elena Gilbert."

Damon's eyes widened and shot to the staircase, he knew that name. Elena... That was the name from the alley. He swallowed thickly as Stefan and Elena came into view and the audience fell silent.

She looked almost identical to Katherine, doe brown eyes that he could stare into all day, chocolate tresses that enticed his fingers and plump, ruby lips that he found himself wanting to kiss, the more he studied them. She stood at the top of the staircase, her arm laced with his brothers, looking like a goddess. Katherine had all but evaporated from his mind, and he could tell, even from a distance, that she was different. The audience knew it too; they were in awe, stunned into silence by the exquisiteness of the gown and by who was wearing it.

Damon could hear her heart humming loudly like a beautiful song, he knew it was hers, he recognised it from the alley, it was distinct and unlike anyone else's. It was like it spoke to him, called his name and longed for his love.

Elena, Elena Gilbert, the name rolled effortlessly from his lips and floated into the air as a whisper. She was human, warm and inviting and he found himself wanting nothing more than to be alone in the darkness with her once more.

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><p><strong>So Elena wants to see her dark prince again and Damon wants to see his beautiful goddess again. I wonder what will happen? Find out next chapter. Please be good and review.<br>**


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